Palazzo Pio

Did the Orsini family ever imagine their medieval stronghold would one day become the elegant Palazzo Pio we see before us? Built atop the ruins of Pompey the Great’s Theatre of Venus, this palace has witnessed centuries of Roman history. The Palazzo Pio’s story begins around 1450, when Cardinal Francesco Condulmer, nephew of Pope Eugene IV, acquired part of the old theatre’s ruins. This section had been fortified by the Orsini family during their feud with the Colonna family. It included a tower facing Campo de’ Fiori, remnants of which were rediscovered during restorations. As Campo de’ Fiori flourished during the Renaissance, so did the Palazzo Pio. Around 1650, the Orsini family, having taken over the entire property, commissioned architect Camillo Arcucci to modernize their stronghold. Arcucci gave the Palazzo Pio the stunning Baroque façade we admire today. The palazzo’s name, however, changed hands once more. The princely Pio da Carpi di Savoia family acquired the building and it became known as the Palazzo Pio. Its legacy was cemented in 1747 when Giuseppe Vasi featured it in his guidebook for tourists, “Magnificenze di Roma Antica”. Over time, even princely families faced changing fortunes. The Pio family eventually sold the palazzo in the mid-1800s, and it changed hands a few times. Today, the Palazzo Pio belongs to Istituto Tata Giovanni, a charitable institution dedicated to caring for orphans. While not open to the public, this grand palazzo stands as a testament to the ever-changing face of Rome, where layers of history lie hidden beneath beautiful facades.